Jonathan Moyo a Deceitful, Self-Serving Charlatan – MDC

HARARE – The main opposition party in Zimbabwe has branded Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo as a deceitful, self-serving charlatan.

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In a statement issued by the MDC Spokesman Obert Gutu, the party said; “the desperate attempts by the Zanu PF propagandist, Jonathan Moyo, to blatantly mislead the nation about Robert Mugabe’s wicked and shameful threat to the judiciary at a function in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituency last week is patently shameful and pathetic and indeed, it is grossly insulting to the intelligence of the people of Zimbabwe.”

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Moyo on Monday came out guns blazing saying Mugabe as a respondent has a legal right to speak on a case he has been sued.

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Moyo said; “It is false, misleading and even mischievous for anyone, especially lawyers, to claim that Didymus Mutasa is now unlikely to get a fair court hearing after President Mugabe said last Friday in Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe constituency that no court could interfere with internal matters of Zanu PF by entertaining Mutasa’s recent controversial High Court application whose essence is to challenge the existence of Zanu PF after the party’s”

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The MDC in a rebuttal statement said it is an indisputable fact that Robert Mugabe’s utterances were deliberately aimed at intimidating the judiciary in the wake of the High Court application filed by Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo.

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“Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo are entitled to approach the courts in order to resolve whtatever grievances that they might have within their faction-ridden and beleaguered political party, Zanu PF. Robert Mugabe is the head of the executive arm of the State and as such, he has an obligation to respect the doctrine of separation of powers which underlies the very essence of a modern democracy.”

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Gutu said Mugabe’s careless, irresponsible and reckless statement in which he literally intimidated the judiciary is not only grossly offensive but it is also in extreme bad taste and clearly unconstitutional.

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“At all relevant times, everyone, including Robert Mugabe, has a constitutional obligation to respect and uphold the independence of the judiciary. Mugabe is the first citizen of Zimbabwe in his capacity as the head of State and as such, he should not behave and conduct himself like a misguided missile.”

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“Robert Mugabe’s threat against the independence of the judiciary is blatantly unconstitutional and as the MDC, we condemn such an utterance in the strongest terms.Robert Mugabe should not continue to behave like a bull in a china shop. As the head of State, he took an oath to respect and uphold the Constitution of Zimbabwe. He should not do anything that has the effect of undermining public confidence and trust in the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.”

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“The reckless and intimidatory statement that was uttered by the nonagenarian is tantamount to a gross and unmitigated abuse of his office as the Head of State. This statement is also repugnant to the tenets of democracy.The MDC maintains that the Head of State should be the first person to defend and uphold the integrity of all public institutions; including the judiciary.”

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“It is, therefore, odious and grossly offensive for one Jonathan Moyo to shamelessly seek to mislead the nation into believing that Robert Mugabe was within his rights when he threatened the judiciary. Jonathan Moyo is a master of deceit and chicanery and his record in distorting and manipulating facts is legendary. The MDC calls upon the Zanu PF regime to respect and uphold the independence of the judiciary if at all this country is going to attract meaningful foreign direct investment (FDI).”